pieces of metal and plastic - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

26 Jun 1997

...
 And it was more than just the machine itself, but the
culture that
spawned around it.  The culture I am referring to mainly is the BBS
culture with all its lingo, the pirate groups who banded together and
cracked software, the holy wars with other computers. 
...
 The history behind the machine is what I am most
interested in.  What
company built it, what year it came out, what technology it used (its
processor, RAM, etc), what its predecessor and successor were, etc.  I
like to know each machines historical perspective. 
Part of the thrill I have of being a TI junkie is BEING part of that
history!  The interesting part of the 99/4A is not so much the level
of technology involved (although it IS there, relative to other home
computers of the period) as the legend of how TI could make a market
run with it, strain every nerve in true TI tradition, and then
dramatically dump it when the effort finally proves to be too much.
And now, I am part of the history of the TI-99/4A too, by perversely
supporting it in preference to other (e.g. modern, more capable)
platforms.

--
**********************************************
* David Ormand           *** Southwest 99ers *
* dlormand(a)aztec.asu.edu *** Tucson, Arizona *
**************************** TMS9900 Lives!  *